Things That Matter
by Nicole White
Summary: It's been two years since the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione hasn't seen Harry since then and she never told him how she felt. What things matter? What don't?


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own Things That Matter though I wish I did.

A/K: And I wanted to post it on my birthday but I couldn't wait that long. Even though it would be tomorrow but still. Hope you like.

Harry sat at his desk staring blankly out of the window thinking about how different the landscape was here. It certainly wasn't like England that was for sure. He sighed. It had been two years since he'd been in London. Two years since Voldemort had been defeated. He had left. He couldn't stay there when he was the reason for people he cared about being dead. It was his fault that Fred Weasley was dead, his fault the Weasley family was falling a part. He couldn't stay there knowing that it was all his fault. Ron and Hermione had tried to tell him otherwise but he couldn't stay.

"Harry, this isn't your fault." Ron said the night he left. "You defeated Voldemort and in the process a few people got hurt. Harry, don't leave we need you!"

"Ron, you don't get it." He had replied shaking his head. "Your family is falling apart because of this. We have to rebuild our government and it's all my fault! If I could have just died in the first place…."

"Don't say that Harry." Hermione said, tears in her eyes. "Then the world would be even worse. He would have total control over everyone and it would be a living hell." She looked at him with such love and hope that it had broken his heart even more.

"Hermione, I can't…"

"Yes you can. Just help us start over."

"No, it's too scary to even face it Mione." He had said holding back tears.

"The scariest moment is always right before you start Harry." She said and in those few words, she was begging him to stay.

"I'm sorry." And with that he disapperated. Now he was a top news journalist for a newspaper in Australia. He didn't know how anyone back home was doing. He didn't want to. They had all tried to contact him. Hermione especially but he couldn't do it. After a while everyone stopped owling him. Except Hermione. She sent him a letter at least once a month telling him how things were, wishing him well in his life, but he never wrote back. He sighed and snapped back to the present. He had to focus. He had a huge story due in two days and needed to actually get started.

"Potter!" his boss, a tall wiry man (who reminded Harry of Ron) named Chris Williams snapped as he stepped into Harry's office.

"Yes sir?" Harry replied trying not to groan.

"How's that story coming about the strange happenings in London?" he asked.

"I'm just finishing up the details."

"Potter I've told you a dozen times that when you're addressing me you will say 'sir.'"

"Okay."

"Sir."

"Oh, no need to call me sir Williams." Harry said remember his sixth year when he had said that to Snape. Williams turned crimson and his eyes narrowed.

"I want that story by Friday Potter. And if it's not done you're fired." With that Williams turned and walked out of Harry's office. Harry wasn't too worried about being fired, after all this was about the fourth time this month that Williams had threatened him about that. But Harry was just too good for him to actually be let go. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. But sometimes Williams drove him nuts. It wasn't as bad as Snape but it was up there.

_Sometimes he lets that boss get in his head_

_He can't see past that mountain of deadlines on his desk_

_5 o'clock he's the last one out of the gate_

_And he get's cut off, flipped off, ticked off on the interstate_

_And he wonders why this world won't leave him alone_

_Till he hears that little voice holler 'Daddy's home' _

He sighed and pushed away from his desk. He was done! He was leaving. He had to go back. He walked out of his of his office and out the door, ignoring the shouts of his boss to stay where he was. He walked a few yards and turned on his heel and disapperated.

_Things that matter, things that don't._

Hermione put her head in her hands, totally worn out. It had been two years to the day since the Battle at Hogwarts had taken place. Tow years since he had left. She had tried to get over him, to move on in her life, but she couldn't. She had dated other guys, even Ron for a while, but nothing helped. She just seemed to fall deeper in love with Harry each time. She had sent him owls but he never responded. But she kept sending them anyway. She couldn't just give up on him. Not after all they had been through. For Ron it had been easier. Ron had felt betrayed and was furious at his best friend for leaving him like he did. He had tried to talk sense into Hermione but couldn't do it.

"Hermione? You alright?" A voice from the doorway said. She looked up and saw Ginny.

"Yeah I'm fine. Just…memories you know?"

"Yeah. This is possibly the hardest day of the year for me. Well this and the twins birthday." She sighed. "Something's will never heal." Hermione knew what she meant. Time was what she thought would cure all her heartache.

"I'm so sorry Ginny."

"I'm sorry too. That was just….a hard day for everyone." Ginny looked at Hermione imploringly but Hermione wouldn't look at her. She knew what Ginny wanted. She wanted her to admit that Harry was never coming back. But she couldn't.

_She's held on to that grudge, all her life_

_Thirty years of anger since her dad walked out that night_

_She thinks of the moments that he's missed_

_All the birthdays, ballets first dates_

_It seems too much to forget_

_She gets that call that says he don't have long_

_She walks in he starts crying_

_The past is gone_

"Ginny, I still have that little shred of hope."

"Hermione I know you do." Ginny sighed. "But sometimes it's better to be realistic rather than optimistic. You told me that once remember?"

"Ginny, we were fifteen and fourteen and that was over something much less important than this."

"Don't go wishing on a star that won't listen." With that Ginny left. Hermione sighed, biting back tears.

"I have to get out of here." She stood up and grabbed her light jacket. But something caught her eye as she left. A picture of her, Ron and Harry from Bill and Fluer's wedding, the last happy moment in a world of very hellish ones. She picked it up and smiled. Slipping it into her pocket she left.

_Things that matter, things that don't_

Harry had apperated somewhere in a park in muggle London. He looked around and was glad to see that he was surrounded by trees so no one would notice. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking. Where too he didn't know. He just needed to walk.

********

Hermione slipped onto the underground, blending into the throng of people traveling the inner parts of London. She heard the call for the Mongolia Crescent stop and got off. She didn't know why she had gotten off here but she had. She walked along the quiet neighbor hood streets and realized where she was. She was in Harry's old neighborhood where he lived with the Dursleys. She smiled. Maybe…just maybe for some unknown reason, he would be here.

********

Harry looked at the street and sighed. He had so many memories here. Mostly bad but there was the occasional good one. Like when the first Hogwarts letters came. Or when Ron, Fred and George rescued him from his room before second year. That memory made his throat constrict. Damn it Fred. He thought. I'm so sorry. He cleared his throat and kept walking. He turned onto Privet Drive and walked towards his old house. How weird was it that it had been almost three years since he had been here. Time certainly wasn't being too nice to him.

_Time ain't on our side_

Hermione stood outside the small house and smiled. She remembered just two years ago rescuing Harry from this place. She had loved seeing him again after not seeing him all summer. He had made her stomach twist and her heart flutter. Why didn't I tell him? She thought.

_Don't want to leave this world _

_With why didn't I?_

_Why didn' I?  
Yeah why didn't I?_

Harry walked towards number four and saw someone standing outside the house already. As he got closer, the figure seemed to be more familiar. He could tell it was a girl. The was she held herself, the way she tilted her head back letting the sun warm her face was so familiar. Even the hair was familiar. Harry's heartbeat quickened and so did his pace. She was right there. SO close to him.

Hermione sighed and took one last look at the house before turning to walk away. She hadn't gotten two steps before she heard someone call her name.

********

He was almost running when she turned and started to walk away. No, he couldn't let her get away. Not again. He broke into a run.

"Hermione!" He called. She stopped and turned. Her face expressionless. He kept running. He wanted to be close to her.

*******

Hermione saw him running towards her and her heart stopped. He was right there! Her face broke into a huge smile as she ran towards him. They met in a hug and she fought back tears.

"What are you doing here?" she asked not letting go.

"Coming home Mione." He replied. She smiled and let the tears fall. "I'm so sorry Hermione."

_Sometimes I take on this world by myself_

_Thinking I got the answers_

_Don't need anybody's help_

"I was so stupid. I thought I could make it on my own. I thought I needed to get away. But what I really needed was my friends. What I really needed was you." He said. Hermione pulled away, her eyes glistening.

"Harry, we needed you too." She said. "Why didn't you answer any of our owls? We were so worried about you. Then people just stopped trying. They were hurting enough already. But I needed to know you were there. I needed you too Harry."

_God was waiting for me all along_

_To fall down on my knees surrender all_

Harry smiled and so did Hermione. He pulled her into another hug and laughed.

"You know. I think I understand what really matters in life now."

"Oh really?" Hermione said with a laugh. "Well wise Mr. Potter, do enlighten me on your great understanding."

"It's the friends, the people. Not what you do or where you go, but the people you do it with." He looked down at his life long friend. This is was mattered.

_Things that matter_

_Things that don't_

Hermione looked up at Harry and smiled.

"I love you Harry Potter." She said before she could stop herself.

"I love you Hermione Granger." He replied. He leaned down and kissed her softly. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself. This was what mattered.

_Things that matter_

_Things that don't_

They stood like that for a while before Hermione pulled away.

"Come on." She said taking his hand. "We have a lot to catch up on." Harry grinned and let her lead the way. They walked out of that neighborhood and into the rest of London. Hermione didn't know where she was going but she didn't care, she was walking with the one person she thought she'd never see again. She glanced up at him and smiled. He was back.

_Things that matter _

_Things that don't_

A/K: I'm not sure I like it…But I'll leave it up to you. Let me know! Boost my confidence or rip it to shreds. =) Just leave a review.


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